"My Best Friend"

While I often enjoy a nice diversion from the Hollywood mainstream, there are other times when I embrace the formulaic predictability that has graced the screen so prevalently in the past few months. One such occasion was when I was forced to sit through the mind-numbingly tedious French-language film, "My Best Friend."

When crotchety antiques dealer Francois agrees to take on a bet in which he must conjure up a best friend, he feels that the wager is one that is impossible to lose. As he begins to compile a list of comrades, however, he quickly learns that his prickly demeanor has made him the most unpopular man on the face of the planet.

Desperate to discover the secrets of making friends, he enlists the help of personable cab driver Bruno. The truth is, of course, that Bruno himself is utterly alone, and soon grows very fond of his unassuming protege.

Watch the trailer:

The problem with "My Best Friend" is that the characters are not mean enough to make this film a dark comedy, nor are they likable enough to make this as whimsical as it should have been. Bruno is the only enjoyable entity in the entire film, and even he takes far too long to evolve into a person that we can route for.

The film is meant to be a heartfelt lesson about the importance of friendship, and instead, is nothing more than a 90 minute display of joyless filmmaking.